Dual shuttle driving arrangement for manufacturing refrigerator cabinets or the like



Oct. 21, 1969 D. J. JANISKE 3,473,643

DUAL SHUTTLE DRIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR MANUFACTURING REFRIGERATOR CABINETS OR THE LIKE Original Filed March 27, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

D. J. JANISKE Oct. 21, 196 9 DUAL SHUTTLE DRIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR MANUFACTURING REFRIGERATOR CABINETS OR THE-LIKE Original Filed March 27. 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 21, 1969 D. J. JANISKE 3,473,643

DUAL SHUTTLE DRIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR MANUFACTURING REFRIGERATOR CABINETS OR THE LIKE Original Filed March 27, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 60/75 fan Cons/an I a 1197 0068 INVENTOR.

00 na MQJW/S A e Z l/M ATTORNEYS D. J. JANISKE Oct. 21, 1969 DUAL SHUTTLE DRIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR MANUFACTURING REFRIGERATOR CABINETS OR THE LIKE Original Filed March 27. 196'? 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

HTTORNEYS Oct. 21, 1969 J. JANISKE 3,473,643

DUAL SHUTTLE DRIV ARRANGEMENT FOR MANUFACTURING FRIGERATOR CABINETS OR THE LIKE RE Original Filed March 27, 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 )77 H TT'ORNE Y5 US. Cl. 198-49 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for transferring products such as refrigerator cabinets between work stations wherein a dual shuttle driven by a single motor is connected to move cabinets sequentially from one work station to another, and an elevator raises the cabinets to present them to the work tools and permit shuttle return.

This invention is a continuation of application Ser. No. 626,122, filed Mar. 27, 1967, now abandoned and relates to transfer apparatus for moving articles, such as refrigerator cabinets of varying size and shape, and more particularly the instant invention is directed to a shuttle arrangement for the transfer of groups of cabinets from station to station which maintains a constant width work space or area between cabinets at each work station.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide a dual shuttle drive arrangement, each shuttle being connected to move alternate cabinets of identical width from one work station to the next, the shuttles being synchronized and driven by a common reduction gear mechanism, with dual output shafts, operatively connected to a drive motor.

Another object of the invention is to provide elevating means for elevating cabinets being processed to their work height and at the same time providing the necessary clearance to permit the shuttles to return to start position.

A further object still is to provide a shuttle for handling groups of cabinets of predetermined width and delivering them to spaced apart work stations with the proper edges of the cabinets in necessary alignment to be worked on when in raised position in the work station areas to permit embossing, punching, welding and similar operations to prepare the cabinets for the attachment of hinges, latches and other auxiliary hardware necessary for the cabinets.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, pro portion and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, perspective, schematic view showing my invention, the cabinets being processed being shown in broken lines in elevated position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the rel nited States Patent 0 ice frigerator line and shuttle driving means, certain parts being deleted to more clearly show the salient features of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse elevational view through the line taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and showing particularly the shuttle rails, elevator mechanism, and cabinets, the broken lines showing a cabinet and the elevating mechanism in raised position;

FIGURES 4a-4d are schematic representations illustrating progressive positions of refrigerator cabinets proceeding along the processing line;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary front elevational view showing a pair of shuttle rails guided by the roller arrangement;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic, perspective side elevational view showing the shuttle drive and mechanism for effecting an adjustment for cabinet width;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the adjustable drive arm provided to vary the drive stroke;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view thereof;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing one of the shuttles with an adjustable cabinet locating abutment thereon; and

FIGURE 11 is an exploded view of several of the drive arm parts illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention only, the apparatus herein referred to comprises a refrigerator cabinet processing line and includes longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced apart shuttle rail supports 8, with support structures generally indicated at 9 to slidably accommodate pairs of spaced apart, longitudinally shiftable shuttle rails 10 and 1-1 thereon. While not shown in the schematic view in FIGURE 1, top rail parts R are mounted on the shuttle rails 10 and 11 (see FIGURE 10 of the drawings), and extend the entire length of the line on which groups of cabinets C being processed are shown in longitudinally spaced apart relation. As FIGURES 1 and 5 indicate, the structures 9 include brackets 12 mounted on the supports 8 and pairs of rollers 13, 14 and 15 mounted on these brackets in rolling engagement with the side walls of the shuttle rails 10 and 11 to guide the rails in proper alignment and minimize friction. Similar pairs of rollers '16 and 17 are provided on the brackets 12 and shuttle rails 19 and 11 ride thereon (see FIGURE 5 of the drawings), and While but one set of rollers 16, 17 is shown, it will be understood that there are other sets at predetermined spaced apart points along the length of the line. Racks 18 and 19 are secured to the shuttle rails 10 and II, respectively, in any desired manner and are driven in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

A main frame M includes columns 20 located on opposite sides of the line, and transversely disposed upper and lower members 21 and 22, respectively, which span the line as shown in FIGURE 3. Other rack members A and B are mounted on a sub-base 23 which forms a part of the main frame M and drive the shuttle rails 10 and 11, respectively, in a manner which will be described.

The single driving means for the racks A and B is clearly shown in FIGURE 1 and 2 of the drawings and comprises a motor 24 connected to any suitable source of power and drivingly connected through a clutch brake 25 to a gear reducer 26 by means of a coupling 27. The reduction gear unit 26 is of a type which has double output shafts 28 and 29, and a drive arm 30 is provided on each shaft 28 and 29 and is connected to a link or connecting rod member 32 by means of a bolt 33. The opposite ends of the links 32 are connected to link spacer members 34 by means of bolts 35 or the like. The arms 30 have an adjustable connection with the links 32 as will later appear. Projecting key sections 36 are provided on the one end of each of the racks A and B to which the members 34 connect, and key seats 37 are provided therein. Similar key seats 38 are provided in tie blocks 39 and in the link spacers 34 to accommodate keys 40, and bolts 40a are provided as shown and make for easy disconnection when desired.

The shuttle gear racks 18 and 19 previously mentioned are rigidly secured to the shuttle rails It) and 1.1 of the main frame in any acceptable manner.

Provided to connect the rack A with the racks 18 is a transversely disposed drive shaft S which spans the main frame and is journaled in bearings 41 provided thereon. A spur gear 42 is mounted on the end of the drive shaft S and has driving engagement with the teeth 43 of rack A, and a pair of larger gears 44-44 are mounted on the drive shaft S and are in driving engagement with the racks 18. A shaft F, similar to drive shaft S, is also journaled in bearings 41 and spans the main frame, and a spur gear 46 is mounted thereon and is in meshed engagement with the rack 13. Larger gears 47-47 are mounted on the shaft F and are meshhed engagement with the racks 19. Both of the drive arrangements described are the same in construction and operate in exactly the same manner, the only difference being that one provides a longer lineal stroke than the other for a purpose which will be later apparent, and while but two pairs of shuttle rails are utilized, it will be unde r stood that more may be used if desired.

The arms 30 provide for shuttle stroke adjustment. Each drive arm 30 is recessed to form a depressed guide- Way 48 having angularly disposed side walls or ways in which an adjustable block 4) is adjustably mounted. The bolt 33 which connects each link 32 to each arm 35 is mounted in the block 49 and a nut 51 pivotally secures each link 32 to each arm 30. The end wall of each arm 30 is provided with a cap 52, and a threaded set screw 53 is mounted therein in contact with the adjacent end of block 49, so that the block 4? may be readily adjusted, the block 49 being braced at its opposite end by the interchangeable bar 54 which is held in position by bolt 55.

Work locator brackets or abutments 56 are mounted on the shuttle rails and 11 in any desired manner to accommodate the cabinets C which are received thereon, the brackets 56 being so located as to provide a predetermined work space W between certain cabinets. The cabinet work stations or spaces are not uniform for all sizes and must be changed when cabinets of different width size are run.

A plurality of conventional cabinet lift elevators generally designated E are mounted on the main frame M (see FIGURE 3 of the drawings), and are provided with air cylinder actuated, vertically movable lift rods or members 58 which are located directly beneath the cabinets. The rods 58 are mounted on a vertically moving carriage 58a which is lifted by air cylinders 57 in the usual manner. The elevator rods 58 engage the lower face of the cabinets at the corners thereof, and elevate the cabinets clear of the shuttles 10 and 11, holding them in raised position to permit unobstructed travel of the shuttles 10 and 11 on their return stroke. When the shuttles 10 and 11 complete their return stroke, the elevator rods 58 are returned to original position.

The shuttle adjustment mechanism permitting the running of cabinets of different width size is shown in FIG- URE 10 of the drawings and is illustrated by showing one of the shuttle rails 10 with an adjustin bar R mounted on the upper face thereof. A bracket 60 is welded on the shuttle rail 10 and the lower edge of the bracket is cut out as at 61 to permit sliding movement of the bar R. Also, a bracket 62 is mounted on, and secured to, the adjusting rail R and a threaded member 63 is rotatably secured to bracket 62 while a threaded opening 64 is provided in the bracket 60 for the member 63. Spaced apart locators or abutments 65 are mounted on the face of the adjustment rail R, and similar companion locators or abutments 66 are provided on the shuttle rail 10, the locators 66 being cut out as at 67 to permit sliding movement of the rail R. To adjust for a cabinet of different width size, the operator merely rotates the member 63 on each of the rails 10 and 11, which slides the adjusting bar R thereon in either direction on the shuttle rails to space the members 65 and 66 from each other to suit the cabinet width size to be run.

The operation of the cabinet transfer system is Well illustrated in FIGURES 4a4d. In FIGURE 4a, at the top of the drawing sheet, the shuttles 10 and 11 are shown in the rear position and cabinet 4 has just been loaded to the shuttle rails 10 which also at their front ends carry the cabinets 1 and 3. In FIGURE 4b, the shuttles 10 and 11 are shown as having advanced simultaneously. with cabinet 4 being carried to the former position of cabinet 3 by shuttle rails 10, and cabinet 3 carried to the former position of cabinet 2 by the shuttle rails 11. In the next position of the shuttle rails 10 and 11, FIG- URE 4c, the elevators E are actuated so that rods 58 lift the cabinets 14 up to the tools T (see FIGURE 1), which perform a work operation on them. FIGURE 4d shows the shuttles 10 and 11 returned to rear position while the cabinets 1-4 remain raised. When the elevator rods 58 are once again lowered, a new cabinet 5 will be loaded to the shuttle rails 10 once again.

Thus, essentially, each pair of shuttle rails 10 and 11 move alternate cabinets C as opposed to consecutive cabinets C. The shuttle rails 10, which have a greater stroke than the shuttle rails 11, in effect move a given cabinet forwardly a distance designated a constant work space. Then the shuttle rails 11 take over to move that cabinet a lesser distance. Thence, the shuttle rails ll move the cabinet the same greater distance once again before the shuttle rails 11 move it the lesser distance finally. Welding and other manufacturing operations are performed at each work station.

It is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention rather than as limiting the same in any way since it is contemplated that various changes may be made in the various elements to achieve like results without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for performing work operations on refrigerator cabinets or the like comprising: a series of work stations with tool means forming a processing line; a plurality of cooperating longitudinal forwardly and rearwardly moving shuttle means having locator means thereon for receiving cabinets or the like; means for advancing said shuttle means to advance cabinets or the like along said line from work station to work station; and means for relatively vertically moving said cabinets or the like and said shuttle means following the advanc ing movement thereof so that said shuttle means are returned without returning said cabinets or the like; said plurality of shuttle means having the locator means thereon longitudinally staggered so that a cabinet or the like is advanced by first one shuttle means and then another and passed along said line.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein elevator means is provided having lift members raisable from an initial position to elevate said cabinets above the shuttle means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality or shuttle means comprises pairs of side-by-side rails; a rail of each pair lying between the rails of the other pair; and said locator means comprises transversely aligned abutments on each pair of rails.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein drive means for said rails includes single motor means; and means connected With each pair of rails for moving each pair of rails in a longitudinal stroke of diiferent length.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said connecting means includes a crank arm, connecting rod, and rack 10 6. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein longitudinally adjustable locator mounting members are provided on said shuttle rails.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,028,945 4/1962 Harke 198l9 EDWARD A. SROKA, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 198-219 

